Office of Cultural Affairs - Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Office of Cultural Affairs do?

The Office of Cultural Affairs is a division of the City Manager’s Office and is charged with establishing a cultural system that ensures that all Dallas citizens and visitors have an opportunity to experience the finest in arts and culture. We carry our mission through a variety of programs and partnerships that support over 20,000 diverse cultural events in our community that combined reach an audience of 4 million annually.

How do I apply for potential arts-related funding with the Office of Cultural Affairs?

The City of Dallas procures cultural services through five different programs. Each of these programs has a separate set of guidelines, criteria and review processes, which can be found at www.dallasculture.org:

• The Cultural Organization Program provides year round operating support to established cultural organizations;
• The Cultural Projects Program provides project specific support;
• The Neighborhood Touring Program provides funds for ethnic artists to perform throughout the City free of charge for citizens who might not otherwise receive cultural services;
• The Cultural Tourism Initiative provides project funding that focuses on linking arts and cultural organizations and events with the tourism market;
• The Public Art Program procures the services of artists through a competitive process that commissions artists to create integrated artworks for City facilities.

What are the deadlines for submitting arts-related funding requests?

Funding application deadlines vary for each program. Deadlines and guidelines are posted on the Office of Cultural Affairs website, www.dallasculture.org.

Public Art project deadlines are announced when projects are advertised. To place your name on the mailing list for public art projects, call (214) 670-3284.

Does the Office of Cultural Affairs publish a calendar of cultural events?

You can access links to many cultural events at our website, www.dallasculture.org or at the Dallas Morning News’ website, www.guidelive.com.

What is the Cultural Affairs Commission and what is its function?

The Cultural Affairs Commission is a City Council-appointed advisory group that advises the City on cultural policies and makes funding recommendations to City Council.